The Belsham Bible. Compiled by Rev. C.M. Carpenter on the Basis of Belsham's Translation of the New Testament

The Belsham Bible
The New Testament in an Improved Version Upon the Basis of Archbishop Newcome’s Translation
Originally Published 1808 Presented in Archival Replica Format

Discover one of the most historically significant non-Trinitarian editions of the New Testament, now available in a high-quality facsimile reprint. The Belsham Bible—edited and compiled by Thomas Belsham and a committee of English Unitarians—is an extraordinary textual achievement of early 19th-century biblical criticism and religious reform.

This preserved replica offers modern readers direct access to the full 1808 edition as it was printed in Boston in 1809, including the original preface, annotations, critical footnotes, and alternative readings drawn from ancient manuscripts and scholarly sources such as Griesbach, Wetstein, and Archbishop Newcome. Belsham and his committee pursued a more faithful and rational text, eliminating later interpolations and theological distortions—most notably the exclusion of 1 John 5:7 ("the Comma Johanneum") and reinterpretation of 1 Timothy 3:16, both long used to support the doctrine of the Trinity.

Inside this edition you will find:

• A full English translation of the New Testament designed to reflect Unitarian theology

• Extensive critical notes and marginal readings comparing the Received Text with older manuscripts

• An appendix outlining the historical placement and chronology of New Testament books by Dr. Lardner and others

• The books divided according to disputed and undisputed apostolic authorship, as documented by early church fathers

This facsimile preserves the original typeface, layout, and editorial markings, making it a valuable resource for:

• Students of biblical textual criticism

• Unitarian, Christadelphian, or non-Trinitarian readers seeking a faithful English version

• Historians of Enlightenment-era theology and reform movements

• Anyone interested in how Scripture was re-examined with integrity and scholarly humility

Unlike modern paraphrases, The Belsham Bible is not a reinterpretation but a direct scan of a pivotal work in the history of Bible translation. It captures a transitional moment in English Christianity—between tradition and reform, dogma and reason.

“To exhibit the text of the sacred writings in a form as nearly as possible approaching to the original standard... is a durable office not less honourable than to publish the works of a classical author.” — Introduction, p. xxvi